Well we took a little break on our reuse ideas. Have you come up with any new ones? Let us continue the count through the alphabet. Aiming to reuse just one new (old) thing a week will make save you money and save the environment, too.
M
Metal tins: The small tins that mints come in can be used to store small objects, such as buttons, needles or aspirin. Memory cards for digital cameras and computer flash drives will fit in a metal tin. You can even use these tins to store cartridges for video games. The leap pad cartridges fit very nicely in the tins, and the tins can be stacked.
Milk cartons: The paper ones can be used for all sorts of kids crafts. They are ideal for miniature play houses and bird houses. You can use the small ones to start seeds. The plastic gallon containers can be cut and used as scoops or funnels for everything from cat litter to bird food. You can also cut them into hanging plant containers. Cut a hole in the side of one and use it to hold all of your plastic bags. Save the plastic caps from the milk cartons to use as checkers. Many caps already come in red. Save 12 of them. Paint or use a permanent marker to color another 12 caps black.
Mouse pads: Remember how it seemed that every business you went into had its own mouse pad to give out? There are only so many of them that you need. and in fact, with most people using an optical mouse, the mouse pad is not needed. Here are some thing you can do with them: Cut small circles out of the mouse pads to use as feet for your chairs. Cut strips to pad heavy furniture or objects that might scratch your floor or tables. Use them as padding on the clamps in your workshop. Use mouse pads as place mats for the kids. Make stamps for sponge painting. Trace the imprint of a cookie cutter and cut out. Then dip the pad shape in paint and use for crafts or for decorating a room.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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Reuse from A to Z! (B Continued)